The saying that has been appearing and re-appearing with such regularity recently is, "This is not the America I grew up in?  What is happening?"

This was the saying stated by Bill Moyers in a recent interview.  By no coincidence, Bill Moyers has been targeted for dismissal from Public Broadcasting System for years by Bill O'Reilly for "left wing bias" and falling outside the "fair and balanced" standard he has presumably operates under at Fox News.

O'Reilly and his allies are also upset over the numerous articles criticizing the Bush-Cheney neoconservative corporate enterprise.  

The more objective alternative would be to turn the Internet over to the tender mercies of Clear Channel, which has provided the broad perspective of Rush Limbaugh on the one hand all the way across the political spectrum to O'Reilly and Sean Hannity on the other.

Earlier this week I watched a television interview of an author who had just completed a biography of the Bush stewardship.  The author indicated that Bush was initially leery of cooperating with him, but after two Oval Office sessions granted him four more interviews.  

Once that it was established that the author had been granted that kind of access it was evident that he was not likely to provide a critical analysis of a regime steeped in disaster.  One could scarcely imagine, for instance, granting Seymour Hersh six private interviews in conjunction with a book on the Bush White House years.

When asked about any discernible change he observed in Bush from the days when the author had previously interviewed him while he was Texas' governor, the author cited Bush's current interest in history.  The author stated further that Bush has become an avid reader on the American presidency.

Such responses would have indeed endeared the author to Bush, who doubtlessly feels that the sessions were worthwhile where creating a positive image of his stewardship is concerned.  

To reflect on George W. Bush is to recall the famous confrontation during the Army-McCarthy hearings when witty, urbane and decent trial lawyer Joseph Welch intellectually demolished smear artist and bully Senator Joseph McCarthy.

The words that ultimately did McCarthy in were simple, blunt, and directly to the point.  "Sir, have you no decency?" was the question that stuck in the public mind and reduced a bully to jelly.

George W. Bush, a protégé of McCarthy tactical admirer Karl Rove, possesses much of the braggadocio and arrogance of Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin.  

The same individual who, through using family political influence, jumped the queue to become a member of the Texas Air National Guard to avoid Vietnam service, then went AWOL to avoid flying solo over the city of Houston, loves to preach about patriotism and sacrifice as long as such responsibilities are borne by others.

So many times present circumstances are put into perspective by events that transpired years earlier through lessons learned.  One event prompted me to observe George W. Bush's current perspective on the Iraq War and his ultimate place in history in this light.

A person I knew from a newspaper where I had begun working had earlier been a part of that same paper's training program and would visit regularly.  His interesting but far from verifiable stories generated much humor in his absence.

There was one story told more frequently than the others.  It involved this young man's high school exploits on one occasion that those who like telling about the story referred to as his "big day."  By his account the day began with him pitching a no-hit victory on the baseball diamond for his school.

The young man was about to leave for home in a jubilant mood when a group of his schoolmates ran toward him.  They were coming from the nearby field where a track and field had come down to the final event.  They knew that this young man had superb speed and begged him to run in the 100-yard dash.  He did, naturally won, and with that victory brought his school the dual meet victory over a bitter rival.

Jimmy Carter's timely criticisms of George W. Bush's executive stewardship call attention once more to another war and impeachment discussion with comments by a besieged Richard Nixon alongside a George W. Bush who has currently shrouded himself in escapist fantasy.

As Richard Nixon, after winning office through a successful joint effort with Henry Kissinger to jettison Lyndon Johnson's effort to secure a Vietnam peace agreement was hovering on the brink of impeachment when he escaped into historical fantasy by comparing himself to a revered American president.

Nixon compared his travail to that of Abraham Lincoln in his bleakest moments during the Civil War.  Bruce Catton, considered one of America's most eminent Civil War historians and a Pulitzer Prize winner for his thoughtful work, "A Stillness at Appomattox," delivered a terse comment concerning Nixon's putative parallel.

"I frankly don't see any comparison," Catton stated dismissively.

The May 24, 2007 cover of U.S. News & World Report showed a color photo of George Bush with a troubled expression.  A headline in bold white print read BUSH'S LAST STAND followed with this ominous caption, "He's plagued by a hostile Congress, sinking polls, and an unending war, yet he won't budge.  Then in large print this question is asked:  "Is he resolute - or delusional?"

U.S. News & World Report writer Kenneth T. Walsh explained succinctly and with on target accuracy the in depth meaning behind this sensational cover story.

The caption on the page where the story begins reads:  "The president still exudes confidence, but his ship of state is taking on water - fast -a sinking presidency."

The article explains that Bush is now comparing himself to none other than what many historians believe was the greatest of all U.S. presidents -none other than Abraham Lincoln, remembered in Washington now with the magnificent Lincoln Memorial, which is visited by millions every year to pay respect to what Lincoln achieved in the Civil War.  Is this delusional?

The diary below was originally posted in my blog, the Intrepid Liberal Journal on Saturday, September 23rd when the interview took place.

Thom Hartmann is a dynamic voice for the aggrieved middle class. After one commercial break on a recent broadcast, the national radio host proudly declared,

"Welcome back to the Thom Hartman show where our talking points come from Jefferson and Madison, not some right wing think tank."

He then asks, "Will the next election be hacked?" as he promotes Bobby Kennedy, Jr.'s article in Rolling Stone magazine that examines fraudulent vote counting to the benefit of Republican candidates.

Talkers Magazine noted,

"There's a buzz growing around nationally syndicated talk show host Thom Hartmann, whose nationally syndicated daily program is drawing high marks by those who are on the lookout for talk radio's `Great Liberal Hope.'"

On NBC TV last week Brian Williams was interviewing George Bush. At one point, he asked Bush what he had been reading lately.

Bush replied, "Three historical books on George Washington and they are still debating Washington's legacy."

I've never heard anyone say George Washington wasn't a great president.  I've never heard anyone say George Bush was a great president.  To even compare himself to George Washington in any way is the height of political blasphemy.

After the blasphemy Bush continued reflecting on his current reading list.  "I'm also reading a book on Teddy Roosevelt," he explained, "a couple Shakespeares and Camus."